Shen Du was not a benevolent person who would indulge criminals in escaping prison. However, during Wang Buzui and Mo Qianzhi’s jailbreak, Shen Du appeared passive throughout, not even bothering to pursue when the masked figures fled with Mo Qianzhi.
While others might not be aware of the Inner Guards’ capabilities, how could Zhu Yan not know? Moreover, Shen Du commanded the Inner Guards and had direct access to the Empress and authority over officials. His methods were forceful, his schemes cunning, and he was not one to give up until he achieved his goals. How could he let them off so easily?
“You predicted they would attempt a jailbreak, didn’t you?” Zhu Yan rubbed the spot where the masked figure had struck her, grumbling, “You knew but didn’t tell me. Had I known, I wouldn’t have gone to the prison with you. Ouch, it hurts.”
“It hurts?” Shen Du indeed lowered his head to examine. When he saw Zhu Yan looking at him with her beautiful eyes filled with hidden mirth, Shen Du belatedly realized. He reached out to tap her delicate nose, sighing, “I didn’t want to tell you because your presence would make them feel at ease.”
If she hadn’t understood at first, how could Zhu Yan not comprehend now? She wasn’t truly blaming him; Shen Du had his duties, how could he prioritize personal feelings? She had been a bit unreasonable.
“That masked person earlier seemed somewhat familiar,” Shen Du mused.
“How familiar? You didn’t even see what they looked like,” Zhu Yan mumbled, which made Shen Du chuckle.
Seeing this, Zhu Yan also curved her lips into a smile. Since entering Yingzhou City, they had been in a state of high tension, with no time even for casual conversation. Shen Du, though exhausted, had been protecting her with all his might. She wasn’t stone-hearted; how could she not notice?
“Your smile remains unchanged from your younger years,” Shen Du remarked.
Shen Du didn’t respond but pulled the person before him to his side. As they walked side by side, he continued, “When I crossed swords with them earlier, it felt familiar.”
“Didn’t you find that smoke familiar?” Shen Du gently prompted.
Zhu Yan stared at him for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. “It is familiar, but her skills shouldn’t be this poor.”
“Hmph, a defeated opponent, cowering without a fight,” Shen Du scoffed, recalling their previous encounters. There was no suspense; they only possessed some trivial tricks.
Pan Chi, walking behind them, quickened his pace, but the couple showed no sign of stopping. Gritting his teeth, he sped up, trying to catch up. However, already severely injured and having just fought, how could he keep up?
He could only chase while inwardly cursing Shen Du for being so heartless.
It was bad enough that Shen Du was cold and uncaring, but to drag Zhu Yan along without letting her wait for him? Didn’t he know Pan Chi had been injured for their sake?
“Hmph, if it weren’t for my wit, using myself as bait to lure out Mo Qianzhi and expose their intentions…” Pan Chi couldn’t continue. It seemed that while he had indeed exposed them, they had escaped afterward. There wasn’t much to boast about.
“Oh my! Where did those two go?”
How infuriating.
In the brief moment he had spent grumbling, he had lost sight of the couple.
Their lodgings were arranged within the Yingzhou government office, not far from the prison. After days of fatigue, the two finally had a chance to rest. As soon as they sat down, waves of exhaustion and soreness washed over them. Zhu Yan gently massaged her arms, and thinking of Shen Du’s sleepless nights, her gaze towards him became filled with tenderness.
Noticing her gaze, Shen Du looked back. Zhu Yan’s heart skipped a beat, her face flushing slightly.
Feeling self-conscious, she turned her head away. “Your injuries must have worsened, haven’t they?”
“Mm,” Shen Du replied softly, beckoning to her.
Zhu Yan’s knees were sore, and after experiencing a life-and-death situation in the prison, she didn’t want to move. She shook her head, “If you need something, just say it. Do you want water? Or should I prepare bath water for you?”
Shen Du frowned. Seeing that the mountain wouldn’t come to him, he decided to go to the mountain. He walked over and, without a word, lifted Zhu Yan and placed her on his lap.
“You…”
Two long, strong hands fell on her shoulders, silencing any harsh words she might have uttered. Then those powerful hands began kneading the tense muscles of her shoulders and neck, causing her rigid body to relax.
It felt so good!
“Shen… my lord, I can do it myself,” Zhu Yan protested. While it felt wonderful, being tended to by the White King of Hell made her uncomfortable.
As she tried to slide off, Shen Du firmly held her in place, whispering, “Don’t move.”
Zhu Yan truly didn’t dare move. Shen Du’s body was very warm, warming her entire body. Those hands, pushing away the tension in her muscles, also brought waves of tingling sensation. Zhu Yan’s body grew softer and softer. She wanted Shen Du to finish quickly, yet also wished it would last longer.
The room was quiet, the sand in the hourglass shifting. Only the soft sound of Shen Du’s fingers kneading through the fabric could be heard, nothing else.
Yet Zhu Yan could hear her own heart pounding like thunder, each beat louder than the last, threatening to burst her eardrums and explode her body.
The temperature under Shen Du’s hands grew increasingly hot. Finally noticing something amiss, he stopped the massage and turned Zhu Yan’s body to face him, examining her up and down. His crimson lips parted:
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“Have the recent life-threatening situations frightened you?”
Is she burning up this badly?
Hearing this, Zhu Yan felt utterly mortified. She gently pushed away Shen Du’s hand on her forehead, shaking her head, her eyes brimming with embarrassment.
“It’s nothing. The weather in June is too hot, and with us so close together, of course, it’s even hotter.”
Zhu Yan had delicate features: distant mountain eyebrows, affectionate eyes, and soft red lips. Although Yingzhou was located in the borderlands with strong winds and sand, Zhu Yan’s appearance remained unaffected, still delicate, fair, and charming. Now, with her body burning hot, her skin took on a pink hue, looking even more delicious than the June peaches Yingzhou was famous for.
A rush of heat surged from Shen Du’s lower abdomen to his head. Looking at Zhu Yan again, his eyes changed color. He said in a hoarse voice:
“If that’s the case, we should get even closer.”
Zhu Yan: … It’s too hot, yet we should get closer?
“Have you gotten heatstroke?” Then, feeling the change in Shen Du’s body, she widened her beautiful eyes. “Are you carrying a short dagger? Why is it so poking?”
Shen Du shook his head. Zhu Yan, barely eighteen, how could she understand these matters? He took a deep breath to suppress his amorous thoughts. When he had calmed down somewhat, he opened his eyes.
Zhu Yan had obediently remained still. Shen Du narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, yet a hint of grievance emerged: “Why did you keep looking back earlier?”
Looking back?
Zhu Yan realized, “I didn’t keep looking back, I only did it once.”
She had wanted to look back to see if Pan Chi had caught up, but before she could spot him, Shen Du had turned her head back. She felt so wronged.
“I don’t know if Pan Chi caught up. He’s injured on top of injuries, I was worried…”
“Hmph!” Sure enough, Shen Du’s expression turned displeased. He pinched her cheek, “Don’t think about him.”
Zhu Yan shook her head, wanting to explain, but Shen Du didn’t want to discuss this person any further. He changed the subject: “Don’t you want to know who that masked person was?”
Indeed, Zhu Yan’s attention was drawn. She asked in return:
“So who was that person?”